The present specification relates generally to electronic devices, and in particular to a method and apparatus for navigating between different focus points displayed on an electronic device.
Multidirectional pointing devices are known in the art for providing navigation between different focus points displayed on an electronic device, such as a smart phone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), portable electronic game, etc. Examples of such pointing devices include trackballs and +-shaped navigation buttons that are commonly found on electronic game controllers for providing on-screen navigation in four directions: up, down, left and right. When multiple application icons and/or user interface buttons and/or item lists are displayed on a device home screen, it is possible to move focus between icons/buttons/lists (i.e. different focus points) by moving the pointing device upward, downward, left and right.
It is contemplated that such electronic devices may also provide customizable home screens wherein the applications/buttons/lists, etc. may be placed anywhere on the home screen of the electronic device. The implementation of such customizable home screens gives rise to a problem of how movement of the pointing device will move the focus between the different points. This problem can be particularly challenging when a one-to-many mapping is defined between focus points. In addition, a navigation model that is appropriate for one home screen may not work for other home screens.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for navigating between different focus points displayed on an electronic device, to accommodate multiple different customizable home screens.